Although Â§342 of the bankruptcy code requires the court to send notices of filing by mail to all listed creditors, it cannot perform this duty if you don’t provide a legal mailing address for each creditor.

This court notice is usually the way creditors are informed of the bankruptcy; it provides protection to the debtor and it contains important information for the creditor.

â€œNoticeâ€ is an essential part of any bankruptcy filing, whether the case is one under Chapter 7, 13 or any of the other sections of the Code. The notice requirement places a heavy responsibility on the debtor, and the failure to give notice can bear serious consequences.

For starters, the court cannot finea creditor for violation ofthe automatic stay if they arenot first given notice. The automatic stay is a court ordered injunction that comes into effect at the moment of filing; it prohibits creditors from taking any action to collect on an outstanding debt. However, the stay cannot be fully effective as a practical matter against any creditor who has not been given the proper notice.

You Could Lose Your Bankruptcy Discharge

The most severe consequence of not giving notice to a creditor is the risk of losing the right to a dischargeof thedebt.

You might not be able to discharge for a debt where the creditor did not receivenotice required by statute.

One of the exemptions from discharge listed in the bankruptcy code as 11 USCÂ§523(a)(3)is a debt owed to a creditor, not listed or scheduled, who did not receive notice of the bankruptcy in time to submit a proof of claim.

In order to receive a discharge of any given debt, the debtor is under a duty to list the creditor to whom the debt is owed, and to provide a legal mailing address so that the court, in turn, can notify that creditor.

I was admitted to practice in 1978. I am certified as a Consumer Bankruptcy Specialist by the American Board of Certification. I regularly speak on tax and bankruptcy issues at state, regional and national conferences. Years of experience in practice before the Internal Revenue Service and Oregon Department of Revenue have given me the background to resolve a large variety of consumer tax issues.